Shyok River

The Shyok River is a tributary of the Indus that flows through Ladakh and Gilgit-Baltistan in the western Himalaya. Its broad, braided course runs through a high-altitude valley near the Karakoram Range.

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Rimo Glacier: A major glacier in the eastern Karakoram, near the headwaters of the Shyok River. The Shyok begins in the Rimo Glacier region.
Ladakh: A high-altitude region of northern India bordering the Karakoram and western Himalaya. The upper Shyok flows through Ladakh.
Diskit: The largest town in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh, situated near the Shyok River. Diskit is a major settlement in the Shyok's valley system.
Siachen Glacier: A glacier in the eastern Karakoram whose meltwater feeds the Nubra River. Its outflow contributes to the Shyok through the Nubra River.
Karakoram anomaly: The observed tendency for some Karakoram glaciers to remain stable or gain mass amid broader regional glacier loss. Glacier behavior in the Shyok headwaters affects the river's long-term water supply.
Nubra River: A river formed by the Siachen and other glaciers that joins the Shyok in Ladakh. Its confluence adds a major glacial tributary to the Shyok.
Gilgit-Baltistan: A mountainous region administered by Pakistan in the northern part of the country. The lower Shyok flows through this region before reaching the Indus.
Khaplu: A town in Gilgit-Baltistan near the confluence of the Shyok and Indus rivers. The Shyok reaches the Indus downstream of Khaplu.
Nubra Valley: A high-altitude valley in Ladakh shaped by the Nubra and Shyok rivers. The Shyok is a defining river of this valley landscape.
Glacial lake outburst flood: A sudden flood released when water stored in a glacial lake escapes through or over its dam. Glacial lakes in steep mountain basins can create flood hazards downstream.